Muslim pilgrims converge on Mount Arafat for holiest day of Hajj | Faith Information

Muslims from all over the world have converged on a sacred hill close to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the holiest day of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

The ritual at Mount Arafat, often called the hill of mercy, is commonly probably the most memorable for pilgrims, who stand shoulder to shoulder, ft to ft, asking God for mercy, blessings, prosperity and good well being.

Hundreds of pilgrims walked to the mount, positioned about 20km (12 miles) southeast of Mecca, via the predawn darkness. On the slopes of the rocky hill and the encircling space, many raised their palms in worship with tears streaming down their faces.

“For certain it’s one thing nice. It’s the finest day for Muslims in the course of the 12 months, and the most effective feeling that anybody can expertise,” Hussein Mohammed, an Egyptian pilgrim, mentioned as he stood on the rocky slopes at daybreak. “It’s the finest place for anybody hoping to be [here] on today and at this second.”

It’s believed that Prophet Muhammad delivered his last speech, often called the Farewell Sermon, on the sacred mount 1,435 years in the past. Within the sermon, the prophet known as for equality and unity amongst Muslims.

Hajj is without doubt one of the largest spiritual gatherings on Earth. The rituals formally began on Friday when pilgrims moved from Mecca’s Grand Mosque to Mina, a desert plain simply exterior town.

This 12 months’s pilgrimage is going down towards the harrowing backdrop of Israel’s continued onslaught on the Gaza Strip.